140,123 total apps in the Windows Store and the top Windows 8.1 apps as of Dec 22nd

As of December 22nd, there are 140,123 apps in the Windows Store, an increase of 2,591 apps in just one week. This past week saw a huge increase in apps being published into the Windows Store, but that doesn’t mean we saw all quality apps.

Let’s dive in and take a look at the most popular Windows 8.1 and Windows RT apps available in the Windows Store. We will go over some stats for the Windows Store, including the top five paid apps and top five free apps. This is yet another post in our feature called “Windows Store Sunday” where we highlight what’s going on with the Windows Store.

Facebook, one again, remains the top free app in the Windows Store while Fruit Ninja once again snags the top spot in the paid category. Despicable Me Minion Rush made its debut this week and is currently in second place in the top-five free list. None of the Angry Birds games are in the top-five paid category this week. You can see a complete list of the top free and top paid apps at the bottom of this post. First, lets recap this week’s important Windows Store news.

FB Pages Manager, a popular app on the Windows Phone platform, made its debut on Windows 8.1 this week. For those that did not know, this app helps you manage your Facebook page in a beautifully crafted and easy-to-navigate modern design.

Tweetium saw a major new update to the app this week, adding a plethora of new features and fixes based on consumer feedback. We have been using Tweetium since its release last week and we have to argue that this app is likely one of the best Twitter apps available in the Windows Store today.

Project Siena was also lunched earlier this week, offering anyone the ability to create a modern app on Windows 8. Microsoft’s Project Siena claims you can create your very own app in mere minutes, and there are a series of samples apps and tutorials to help you get started.

And now, lets take a look at the top five free apps in the United States based on popularity: